The wagons signify an increase in rail freight capacity in the UK to encourage the modal shift from road to rail, says GBRf.
The FEA-G intermodal high-density twin wagons can carry six twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) on each service, significantly increasing the volume of cargo that can be transported on each journey.
The JNA-X box wagons also represent a design evolution, says GBRf. The wagons feature additional strengthening on the box without adding any weight. They can each carry 101.6 tonnes, and are playing a key role in the movement of construction materials for HS2 from the Peak District to Birmingham.
Commenting on the lease, Dave Golding, Asset Director at GB Railfreight, said:
“These new wagons are some of the best available in the UK right now and we’re continually adding them to our services. They have allowed us to move an extra 1.2 million tonnes of aggregate every year. Combined, they will remove c.400,000 lorries movements from our roads a year, leading to a huge reduction in our carbon emissions and delivering significant road safety benefits.”
Mark Wyborn, Head of Freight at Porterbrook, also commented:
“This project demonstrates our commitment to freight and positions us well for future growth in the sector. It is testament to the strength of our partnership with GB Railfreight and Greenbrier that we’ve worked together and agreed ways to mitigate significant challenges.”
Finally, John Brown, Head of Sales at Greenbrier, added:
“In November 2022 the first JNA box wagons arrived into the UK, on schedule, followed shortly after by the first 60ft Intermodal Twin wagons. Both orders were complete in 2023 with the last wagons having just arrived. The positive outcome of both projects is testimony of the close collaborative working relationship we had with Porterbrook and GBRf to manage the challenges we all faced caused by Covid and the situation between Russia and Ukraine. Transparency and early communication were key throughout both projects in order to succeed. We had the contracts in place and Greenbrier were and are committed to delivery on time, every time to our customers.”